Recently, I was driving through a narrow, wooded road, when my vehicle encountered the remains of a skunk. The roadkill was still recognizable with its black fur with white stripe along its’ tail. As the day went along, I had to use that same road a few times going back and forth, and I would witness the aftermath of cars, trucks, and other wheeled vehicles upon what became the increasingly unrecognizable carcass of this skunk.

As you can imagine, the smell of skunk is quite distinct both in life, and in death. In an act of defiance the dead animal’s scent and stench not only met those vehicles which crushed it, but the surrounding landscape for several blocks as well.

While my driving by the skunk’s remains were for a few moments, It made me think of the impressions we leave with both our God and those around us on a daily basis in doing this thing called life. We each carry our personal bodily smell. It doesn’t necessarily mean that you or I “stink”; it can be a sign of our individuality from God himself. We cover those up out of respect with soap, colognes, perfumes,etc.

There is also, however, the scent of attitudes towards God and others during those times life is being done to us in the good, and bad. There is a scent coming from each of us spiritually in different seasons of life as God is conforming us into His image.

There are moments where we are being crushed by the weight of destiny and calling in God. We mistake process for punishment and we can smell of unforgiveness, judgment, lack of mercy, impatience. But God is looking for the scents of love, justice, forgiveness and Heaven from His kids. It’s not so much the crushing we meet as it is the scent which meets God, saint and sinner which matters both now and into the aspect of legacy.

At such times of crushing, God wants to reveal the sweet smells of Heaven, which will not only keep you in his love but cause the witnesses of your life to become the motivation for others to pursue the God you and I claim to follow

Heaven is not looking for roadkill. It is looking for living sacrifices who will release the fragrance of Christ again and again–Romans 12:1